By BOBBIE GREEN
The Progress
The parking lot at the Mesquite Walmart was buzzing with excitement on Wednesday morning, Dec. 16. Fifty kids and their parents or guardians were waiting for the cops that were coming to shop with them.
It was the annual Shop With A Cop event which local law enforcement hosts for Virgin Valley kids each holiday season.
To the childrens’ delight the officers finally arrived in a long line of police vehicles driving single file, lights on and sirens blaring.
Lieutenant Chris Rowley of the Mesquite Police Department was the Shop with a Cop organizer for 2020. He explained that there were several modifications needed to the annual event this year due to COVID safety concerns.
“We had to eliminate the Santa and the traditional lunch at the Elks hall for the officers and the children to keep with COVID Restrictions,” Rowley said.
Since there is no live school in session in Virgin Valley, the police officers were also unable to pick the kids up from school to go shopping as they usually do.
Even so, the important holiday tradition went on despite the changes. The kids and officers alike still had the same gratifying experience of going on a holiday shopping spree together.
Once the police arrived, each child was paired up with a different officer to guide them through the shopping trip. The parents stayed behind to allow better interaction between the police and the kids.
This year’s Shop with a Cop program was funded totally with private donations, solicited on social media. Businesses that have donated to the cause in the past were intentionally not approached this year due to the hardships they have suffered from the COVID shutdowns in the state.
But there was no shortage in funding for the kids. A total of $9,000 were donated allowing each child as much as $150 with which to go Christmas shopping.
Besides the Mesquite Police Department officers, the volunteer police also participated, along with City Manager Aaron Baker, City Councilman Wes Boger, Assemblywoman Annie Black and Salvation Army of Mesquite volunteer Larry Wait.
Baker commented that this was his first time participating in the Shop with a Cop program.
“It was a real treat to shop with a young brother and sister and see their eyes light up as they picked out presents they really wanted,” Baker said. “I am grateful for the donors, officers, Walmart, the Elks Lodge and all the others who helped bring some cheer to this year. I definitely want to participate again next year.”
After the kids found all the items on their list for themselves and families, it was time to wrap all the presents for Christmas.
Walmart donated space, holiday wrapping paper for this part of the project. Walmart staffers as well as volunteers from the Elks club helped with wrapping gifts.
One volunteer gift wrapper commented that she was amazed at how many of the children spent some of their allotted money buying gifts for siblings and parents.
“I want to thank the citizens of Mesquite for their generosity and their assistance during the holidays,” Rowley said. “This event would not be possible without that assistance.”
“As a police officer we look forward to this time of the year to be able to share some time with the children within our community,” Rowley added.
